North Korea, invasive plant and more

Remind North Korea of U.S. capabilities

In response to “N. Korea cancels armistice” (March 12): Reading Kim Jong-Un’s grotesque threats to launch some kind of mini-nuclear holocaust against South Korea and the U.S., one can’t help wonder: What would be the harm in having an American aircraft carrier battle group, or three, show up in international waters off the North Korean coast, along with, perhaps, a handful of ballistic missile submarines? At the very least, it would remind this new “young leader,” and his gaggle of generals, what happened the last time one of his close neighbors thought it would be a good idea to launch a pre-emptive strike against the United States. – Ron Bonn, Tierrasanta

Include a picture of offending flora

The article [Monday] about the invasive weed, Sahara mustard, was interesting and very concerning (“Sahara mustard invasion threatens wildflowers,” March 11). I am sad to think it is crowding out the gorgeous wildflowers in Anza-Borrego and elsewhere. It would have been really helpful if there had been a close-up photo of the actual plant, so we would have some idea of what it looks like and what we have to watch out for in our own areas. – Stephanie Jackel, Vista

Author delivers self-fulfilling illustration

In response to “Women urged to ‘lean in,’ ” Business, March 12): Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook and author of a new book on why women are not doing as well as men in the higher echelons of business and government, concludes that women are less likely to attribute their success to their own merits than men. And then darned if in an interview the other day she didn’t say that she got lucky. I am sure there is some luck involved in anyone succeeding, but, she was/is superbly prepared and she knows it. – Marshall Hiner, El Cajon

Time to pull the shade in Afghanistan

An old family friend, who had experienced many ups and downs in business, had an expression to describe when the time had come to close the books on a failed venture. He said, “It was time to pull the shade.”

As I contemplate the past failed decade in Afghanistan, the thousands of dead, the tens of thousands of terribly wounded and maimed, the trillions of expenditure, I have come to the conclusion that it is time, past time, to pull the shade!

Despite our staggering sacrifice to save this trash can of a nation, we are treated to routine diatribes by so-called leader of Afghanistan, Karzai, who accuses us of all manner of calumny and impropriety while he and his family engage in the wholesale looting of their nation’s treasury. Karzai has redefined ingratitude. How did we hook up with such a loser?!

I am no longer interested in a fig leaf to cover our ignominious departure. I no longer seek the light at the end of the tunnel. I am no longer interested in investing one more dime of treasure or one more American life to “nation build” in Afghanistan. I no longer care. I want OUT!

In the name of God, IT IS TIME TO PULL THE SHADE! – Paul B. Evans, Valley Center

Democrats need to step up to the plate

If I could draw a decent cartoon I would send one to you with a baseball scoreboard showing “The Great Washington Budget Baseball Game” with the Reid Senators showing zero runs for 2009,2010,2011, 2012 and the Boehner Housers showing 1 run each for the above years. The Senate promises to submit a passed budget this year. I remain skeptical since they could have done it for the past four years had Obama wanted them to do it.

Obama has lost his right to use the phrase “for the children” since he has shut White House tours just as thousands of schoolchildren descend upon Washington for spring break. Did the White House staffers ever ask the Obama daughters what they thought of stopping tours for students from around the country? You really wonder about people who think closing the White House is a winner for themselves. What kind of people do we have working for us? – Carol B. Wilson, San Diego

Don't miss opportunity to transform Balboa Park

We were at central Balboa Park [Sunday] and were reminded how congested it is with weekend auto traffic and pedestrians competing to get across the plazas.

I read about a plan to keep traffic coming through the park and going down the side of the Plaza de Panama while removing all cars from the central area. That would still keep cars coming through the western plazas with hazards to pedestrians as it is now. One can look at the eastern Prado, full of visitors enjoying their strolls amid the landscaping and architectural delights, without worrying about a collision with a vehicle. I suggest this is how it should be.

I do not understand SOHO’s relentless attacks on the concept of a new bridge to the right of the entrance arch to the western plaza. I have stood on the Laurel Street bridge several times to study the proposed area for the bypass bridge. One cannot even see that area to the right of the entrance due to the mass of trees which obscures the area. If such a bypass bridge were to be built, new trees could be planted to obscure that area just as is the case currently.

The obvious advantage of the bypass is to finally allow all the plazas to return to pedestrian use without the danger and congestion of cars driving through. It would retain a western entrance to the park and museums. Having only an eastern entrance via Presidents Way would just make that congestion worse than it already is, and would discourage people from even coming to the park.

Parking is already so scarce, especially on the weekends, that the proposed parking garage made sense to me, especially with new park land being built atop it. Although I am not a fan of paid parking in the park, at least the income would pay for large trams to take visitors around the area from both free and paid parking lots.

With our park and organ centennials coming up in 2015, it seems like a real shame to miss the opportunity to do something grand for our beloved Balboa Park. Such an occasion may not occur again for many decades. I hope the authorities can come to agreement soon on a plan worthy of “America’s Finest City.” – Ronald De Fields, Lemon Grove

U.S. sub Dolphin wasn’t a stalker

Your article on the Foxtrot (“Sub sets the scene,” March 11) was most interesting. But simulations of the Soviet submarine and the Maritime Museum’s USS Dolphin “stalking each other” are pure fantasy. Dolphin never stalked anybody. She was a small, deep-diving research platform – no torpedo tubes, no weapons and no “legs” for extended ocean patrols.

Keep Hollywood out of San Diego, please. – James Ransom, captain, U.S. Navy (retired), San Diego

STEM degree isn’t a job guarantee

In the newspaper I see yet more articles emphasizing the importance of STEM degrees (“Jacobs: Immigration issues could hurt S.D. economy,” Business, March 9; and “Helping youth compete, succeed,” Opinion, March 9).

My son graduated in June 2012 from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, a field of study he really enjoys. However, he has been unable to find a job in his field, either locally or nationally. I know of other recent STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] graduates with the same problem.

Though I firmly believe that studying science and technology is important in today’s society, a STEM degree should not be promoted as a guarantee of success or a direct path to a job. Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Gates need to be clear. They seek employees with computer science or electrical engineering degrees, preferably advanced degrees. As with any other field of study, there are some STEM degrees that are more marketable than others.

Let’s continue to encourage young people to pursue their interest in STEM careers, if that is their choice. But let’s not promise them employment. – Louise Nicoloff, La Mesa

Sprinter ‘humiliation’

In response to “Sprinter train shuts down today for up to 4 months” (March 9): The Sprinter to be closed down for up to four months out of “an abundance of caution” because the Sprinter cars were purchased outside the U.S. and the supplier doesn’t have any replacement parts readily available for a mass-transit conveyance that runs 365 days a year? Are you kidding? Everyone who takes the Sprinter is now supposed to find an alternate form of transportation after putting their (misplaced) trust in this form of transportation? Unfortunately yet another uniquely San Diego humiliation.

Everyone in the chain of decision making whose lack of foresight and failure at the most basic level of maintenance planning should be fired – out of an abundance of caution. After all, who knows what other absurd miscues such as this these people have made that are just waiting to come to light? Ridiculous. – Jim Berg, San Diego

No confidence in utilities’ promises

The power bureaucrats have made us all a promise we can take to the bank (“Agencies defend policies,” In Response, Opinion, March 9).

The three main state regulators of the electric power system say that it is “false and alarmist” for the U-T to say that their policies could result in blackouts. So, now that we know blackouts cannot happen because of their excellent policies, there is no need to worry about blackouts. This summer or fall when they ask us to reduce use of our air conditioners, we can ignore them. There will not be a blackout. SDG&E can stop spending our money on advertising for their “Flex Your Power” campaign.

When they continue to block the restart of San Onofre, no problem. When construction of peaker power plants are blocked, no problem. There cannot be a blackout. To suggest otherwise would be “false and alarmist.” But keep a flashlight handy just in case. – Blaine Stauffer, San Diego

Whose house is it?

In response to “Boehner: no cut in Capitol tours” (March 7): The White House is closed to tourists? Does not this president realize that the White House belongs to us, the people? He closes our house to us! – Ken Owens, Lakeside